After a long war of independence against Ethiopia, Eritrea formally gained independence in 1993 following an overwhelming referendum. By 1998, Eritrea was governed by a highly centralized revolutionary leadership. Many leaders were former commanders from the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), who led the war of independence. This government emphasized nationalism, self-reliance, and military discipline. At this time, tensions with Ethiopia were growing over border disputes, currency disputes, tariffs, and economic disagreements with Ethiopia as the countries separated. Actions like introducing the Eritrean currency, the nakfa, in late 1997 fractured economic relations and heightened tensions with Ethiopia over trade and exchange systems. There is further economic friction with access to ports. A key leadership figure of this cabinet included President Isaias Afwerki, who has served as president since independence and was the former leader of the EPLF. In summary, this was not a traditional liberal democratic cabinet. Instead, it was a revolutionary cabinet filled with liberation-war veterans working to set up a new state with deeply distrusted neighbors.

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